marhaba FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ 21 November – 18 December
Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor City
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l Bayt Stadium is located in Al Khor, 35 km north of Doha. It is instantly recognisable, thanks to its design based on a Bedouin tent – bayt al sha’ar or ‘house of hair’. The tent structure covers the entire stadium, and honours Qatar’s past and present while also looking to the future. Al Khor was famous for its pearl diving and fishing, attracting traders and nomadic peoples from far and wide. Likewise, Al Bayt Stadium will extend the famous Qatari hospitality to fans from all over the world. The tents used by the nomadic families could typically be identified from the black stripes, replicated on the stadium’s exterior, with sadu weaving greeting fans once inside. This taste of tradition is also practical, as the tent structure provides shading. The structure’s lightweight canopies are able to stretch out towards the pitch from every side and will be joined by a retractable
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roof system and cooling technologies. These features will allow for comfortable temperatures inside without using extra power – one important aspect of the stadium’s design is sustainability and low energy usage. The 60,000 seats have been produced by local company Coastal Qatar and are almost all installed. The stadium’s inner architecture is at the final stages and the tunnels that players will emerge from are ready. The stadium’s steel roof structure and its façade are also now finished. Al Bayt Stadium has already received a Class A* rating from the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS). Outside the stadium, parks and greenery will form an integral part of the surrounding precinct’s design plan, with grass and trees having been planted, alongside lakes and water features. Residents and visitors to Al Khor can enjoy plenty of outdoor space, equal to the size of 30 football pitches, to walk, run and cycle. An upgraded road system means shorter journey times and a smaller environmental impact, although there will be extensive taxi and bus facilities to minimise the number of vehicles on local roads. Fans will approach the stadium on tree-lined walkways before entering the traditional-meets-modern piece of architecture.
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44 E-Guide FIFA Stadium Updates.indd 11
4/4/21 11:19 AM